Just this once
by Mr.Crouch'sDaughter
Summary: Voldemort put a spell on Hogwarts that will destroy the castle in 30 minutes. Everyone is evacuated, expect Harry and Snape. And Harry’s last wish is to win 10 points from Snape. Warning: Light slash.


Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joanne K. Rowling, who will surely never get the idea of giving one to me.

Story: Voldemort put a spell on Hogwarts that will destroy the castle in 30 minutes. Everyone is evacuated, expect Harry and Snape. And Harry's last wish is to win 10 points from Snape. Warning: Light slash.

Author's Note: If you don't like it, don't read it! I tried to make the characters act originally.

Rating: PG-13

Genre: Silent Story, Romance, a little bit humor.

_Just this once_

" You know, Potter, that _time_ is not important anymore, do you?" Snape said softly as he watched the boy in front of him look on his watch for the thirteenth time in between three minutes.

The sixteen year old Gryffindor looked up and answered – not in fury or rage as the potions master had expected, but in a calm voice -:" And why do you think so? Don't you believe it might be better to see our last minutes past and respect them?"

" No. I'd rather _enjoy_ the last 24 minutes of my life."

" But Professor, how can you _enjoy_ it when your forced to share a room with me?" asked Harry, his green eyes focused on his teacher.

" I am able – as you would have realized before if you hadn't slept, dreamt or flirted in my class – to ignore the existence of inferior creatures perfectly, Mister Potter," said Snape matter-of-factly. 

" Well, I am an inferior creature, then?" guessed Harry mildly interested. The treatment of his teacher didn't surprise or anger him, least at all Snape didn't use his exaggerated sarcasm now. 

" As you may have found out by the context, yes." 

" Dear Professor Snape, have I ever told you how I adore your firm, stolid calmness?" Harry lent back in the comfortable chair that once was Minerva McGonnagall's until Hogwarts had to be evacuated.

" No, you have not. But I hope you don't expect me to thank you," answered Snape. 

" Why not?"

Snape slightly smiled." It would not fit with my reputation."

The boy looked irritated, then said:" So reputation is still important, hm?"

" Yes. For I do not want to feel ashamed for myself when I die," explained the potions master.

" But you already have to. You ruined your reputation by staying here to save others; you spent exactly eleven minutes and thirty-four seconds with me in one room without killing me..."

" Well, I can change that. And to point one, you also stayed here what tells everyone it is not a big thing," interrupted Snape.

" And you gave a hint of a smile one minute ago," Harry finished.

" That was a yawn, Potter."

" No Professor, it was a smile."

Snape sighed." If I would confess it was really a smile, then Potter, you were just this once right, I could thank you. I could even give you ten points to Gryffindor for acumen."

" But you will not," commented Harry.

" Precisely, Mister Potter, I will not." 

A short silence followed, before the boy asked:" And why Professor, will you not?"

" Because I deny to have smiled," answered the teacher. 

Harry rolled his eyes." Okay, Professor, what if I deny to be a Gryffindor, but swear to be a Slytherin at heart and I am not truly Harry James Potter but a copy made by the ministry of magic to protect the real Harry Potter, would you give me ten points?"

" This is absurd, Potter."

" As so is your denial of smiling."

Snape raised an eyebrow." You can be intelligent, Potter, when you see your life ending."

" Oh, I lay my hope on being reborn as a student here – and maybe you'll be reborn as a teacher, too. And we two will have the pleasure to meet each other again," joked Harry.

" That would be more painful than hell," said Snape.

" Maybe we will like each other?"

" You're hallucinating, Potter."

" Maybe I'll be your son?"

" If I'm reborn, I'm going to castrate me before having sexual intercourse," answered the potions master.

Harry looked in his absolutely serious face and laughed, laughed until he cried tears." I never thought you had humor, Snape." 

"_ Professor _Snape to you. You are easy to amuse."

Harry took off his glasses, wiped the tears away and put it on again." And you easily smile when you're not teaching," replied Harry grinning.

" Normally, I remind myself at time that smiling doesn't suit me."

" But you agree to have smiled?"

" **NO**, Potter!"

Harry sighed." Well, if it soothe you; at all, it wasn't a real smile. You just lifted the corner of your mouth a little. Nothing spectacular."

" That relives me very much, Mister Potter," said Snape ironically.

" No problem, sir." Harry laid his hands on the armchair and glanced at his watch. 15 minutes.

" Potter, does amnesia disease you?" asked Snape.

" No, sir."

" You remember everything I've said?"

Harry tried hard not to smile." Yes, sir."

" What about the passage with time?" 

" I think you said something about it, yes," answered the Gryffindor, his eyes now full of amusement.

" And?"

" I've decided not to obey it."

" Ten points from Gryffindor, Mister Potter," said Snape.

" Oh. Seems I have to win twenty to leave the world with the satisfaction I got ten points from you."

" I'm afraid I see no way ho you could do this," answered the potions master.

" What if I make you smile?" asked Harry.

" You have exactly nine minutes and 56 seconds," replied Snape.

The boy looked at his teacher, thinking fast. How could he win a smile from the serious man in front of him? Pulling faces would surely not work... Nor would telling a joke... He would need an more unusual idea to win the points...

" Six minutes and twenty-one seconds," reminded him Snape.

Harry's thoughts ran through his mind. If he could surprise Snape, maybe he would smile?

And then an idea crossed his mind, a dangerous but maybe affecting idea.

The boy grinned, then stood up.

" What are you trying to do, Potter?" asked the potions master. Without answering, Harry came closer, kneeled down before him, laid his hands on the chair, lent forward and pressed his lips onto Snape's.

Whatever Harry had expected to feel in this moment (disgust seemed possible), _he_ got surprised. He felt like his feelings were all a terrible mess, there was hate for Snape, respect, anger, amusement - but also the kind of feeling he had had when he had kissed Cho for the first time. Butterflies. Butterflies in his stomach.

It took him some time to break the kiss off and get back in his chair. He was not sure if Snape had kissed him back, he just saw his teacher's irritated black eyes – and no smile.

" Do you think I deserve twenty points now, Professor?" asked Harry after a long silence. His voice was trembling. Somehow he expected Snape pulling out his wand and murder him as painful as possible. To his surprise, the potions master did not move in any way.

" I have not smiled, potter," Snape said calm. 

Harry looked at his watch. One minute and nine seconds. He lent back in his chair, too confused to think of another way to make Snape smile. 

Fifty seconds.

Forty.

Harry's look followed the small second hand.

Thirty.

Twenty.

" Twenty-five points to Gryffindor, Mister Potter," said Snape.

Harry looked up. There was a smile upon his teacher's face.

The end

Mister Crouch's Daughter, 07.08/08.08 2003


End file.
